Ushi Wakamaru

[Todd36]

Eater.com is reporting that Ushi Wakamaru will be closed for two months. It's more than just gloves I suspect.....

[raji]

Great news folks. I've made it a habit to pass by Ushiwakamaru if I'm downtown, as I didn't have a way to get in touch with Hideo-san, and yesterday I was finally rewarded. I was passing by yesterday and bumped into Hideo-san outside, with a full team of workmen cleaning out the space. He informed me that they'll re-open sometime in November with a brand-new renovation of the space... the room will finally be on-par with the level of sushi he is serving, which is easily the best downtown. I asked him, and he let me know that he's not using this as an opportunity to raise the prices. Viva Ushiwakamaru!

[ned]

Thanks for the report Raji. I've been missing ushi very much.

[ulterior epicure]

Great news folks. I've made it a habit to pass by Ushiwakamaru if I'm downtown, as I didn't have a way to get in touch with Hideo-san, and yesterday I was finally rewarded. I was passing by yesterday and bumped into Hideo-san outside, with a full team of workmen cleaning out the space. He informed me that they'll re-open sometime in November with a brand-new renovation of the space... the room will finally be on-par with the level of sushi he is serving, which is easily the best downtown. I asked him, and he let me know that he's not using this as an opportunity to raise the prices. Viva Ushiwakamaru!

←

Any explanation of the closing????? Tell him that u.e. had a date with him and he yanked the rug out from underneath me!!

Thrilled to hear he's back. I look forward to visiting.

[ulterior epicure]

Double posted.

Edited October 31, 2007 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ulterior epicure]

Triple posted

Edited October 31, 2007 by ulterior epicure (log)

[ulterior epicure]

Can an admin undo this absurdity that I've created. Sorry.

Edited October 31, 2007 by ulterior epicure (log)

[Fat Guy]

From the DOH website:

USHI WAKAMARU

136 WEST HOUSTON STREET, MANHATTAN 10012

212-228-4181

Violation points: 109

Inspection Date: 09/11/2007

Establishment Closed by DOHMH. Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

Sanitary Violations

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.

3.) Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

4.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

5.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

6.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

7.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

8.) Food item spoiled, adulterated, contaminated or cross-contaminated.

9.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

10.) Cold food held above 41°F (smoked fish above 38°F) except during necessary preparation.

[ulterior epicure]

Double posted.

Edited October 31, 2007 by ulterior epicure (log)

[Hiroyuki]

From the DOH website:

USHI WAKAMARU

136 WEST HOUSTON STREET, MANHATTAN 10012

212-228-4181

Violation points: 109

Inspection Date: 09/11/2007

Establishment Closed by DOHMH. Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.

Sanitary Violations

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

2.) Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.

3.) Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

4.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

5.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

6.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

7.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

8.) Food item spoiled, adulterated, contaminated or cross-contaminated.

9.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

10.) Cold food held above 41°F (smoked fish above 38°F) except during necessary preparation.

←

Now I'm very interested to know what Hideo-san is going to do with violation 9.

[raji]

tag hell

Edited October 31, 2007 by raji (log)

[raji]

Thanks for the report Raji. I've been missing ushi very much.

No problem - inasmuch they "do the right thing" when it comes to running an authentic sushiya with none of the nonsense, we should all be very supportive over the next several months as the DoH did everything they could to put them out of business...

Any explanation of the closing?????  Tell him that u.e. had a date with him and he yanked the rug out from underneath me!! 

Thrilled to hear he's back.  I look forward to visiting.

Well, he pretty much told me the same thing as the eater reports.

Is it me or is 109 points off the charts?

1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.

Who cares about NON-food contact areas?

2.) Accurate thermometer not provided in refrigerated or hot holding equipment.

3.) Toilet facility not maintained and provided with toilet paper, waste receptacle and self-closing door.

These sound like technicalities. Maybe they were missing a trash can?

4.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.

5.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.

They were traditional yukatas. Hideo-san is Bic'ed bald, and the rest wear traditional bandanas. Can you imagine shower caps at a sushi bar?

6.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

7.) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Again, who cares about the non-food areas. The kitchen and dining room itself were spotless.

8.) Food item spoiled, adulterated, contaminated or cross-contaminated.

9.) Food worker does not use proper utensil to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.

10.) Cold food held above 41°F (smoked fish above 38°F) except during necessary preparation.

And these would be true of most any sushi bar. Hiroyuki, to answer your question, I imagine he'll solve enough that he can remain open while perpetually violating #9.

What bothers me is that the DoH should really be talking with Japanese business and trade organizations, which are all headquartered in NYC anyway, about their issues with the practice of serving raw fish and other traditional Japanese food, rather than executing a vendetta 4 blocks away from the rat-infested Taco Bell that began their intifada anyways.

Edited October 31, 2007 by raji (log)

[LPShanet]

Anyone hear anything further about Ushi Wakamaru's status? Rumor had it that reopening would be in November, but I haven't heard whether this will (or has) happen.

[raji]

I know it's December now, but today I opened the Japanese newspaper and found some good news - Ushiwakamaru hiring waitresses. So they should be open any day now.

[Todd36]

Much as I liked their Sushi, that hot towel they gave you came from a jerry rigged rice cooker on the floor and over time, their mens room began to need more and more maintaince. I am quite sure they had issues that if you knew what they were, you would be upset. The clothing issues may relate to not washing those traditional outer garments. From the very first time I ever ate at Ushi Wakamaru (and I think that was before anyone else who posts on eGullet), it was clearly not well managed.

[raji]

Well, for what that's worth, I first ate at Ushiwaka Maru shortly after they first opened - I just didn't post about it on here. I don't mind oshibori out of a rice cooker, they do that in Japan all the time - at least they arrive warm! Men's room? give me a hole in the wall. You said it yourself - "much as you liked their sushi". Hideo-san is singularly obsessed with the quality of his sushi, but his operation is on a scale where perhaps there isn't the budget for more management. I'd rather have my dollars focused on the sushi anyway; some of the best sushi I've ever had in Tokyo were at relative holes-in-the-wall under railstations in Kanda and Nishishinjuku. Ushiwaka Maru is more in that spirit which I consider more Japanese and authentic. His room was hardly a hole-in-the-wall, but indeed many Japanese dine at sushiya in NYC because they are in awe of the spacious room, decor and over-the-top service, when a lot of these places should really be focusing on the product they are putting out.

[Todd36]

Well, for what that's worth, I first ate at Ushiwaka Maru shortly after they first opened - I just didn't post about it on here. I don't mind oshibori out of a rice cooker, they do that in Japan all the time - at least they arrive warm! Men's room? give me a hole in the wall. You said it yourself - "much as you liked their sushi". Hideo-san is singularly obsessed with the quality of his sushi, but his operation is on a scale where perhaps there isn't the budget for more management. I'd rather have my dollars focused on the sushi anyway; some of the best sushi I've ever had in Tokyo were at relative holes-in-the-wall under railstations in Kanda and Nishishinjuku. Ushiwaka Maru is more in that spirit which I consider more Japanese and authentic. His room was hardly a hole-in-the-wall, but indeed many Japanese dine at sushiya in NYC because they are in awe of the spacious room, decor and over-the-top service, when a lot of these places should really be focusing on the product they are putting out.

←

The use of the rice cooker to heat towels didn't bother me, where it was located did. You were trying to make the point that perhaps the health department was harsh on them. My point is that to the untrained eye without the benefit of establishment wide access, it was obvious there were issues. Whether or not there are dirty places in Tokyo that serve good sushi has nothing to do with your initial point, that Ushiwaka wasn't perhaps really that much of a health problem.

I first ate at Ushiwaka on the night it opened. I knew about it because of his prior place in NJ. I presume you'll now say you ate there before it opened?

[mascarpone]

I was very impressed with this place when I ate there several years ago.

[raji]

The use of the rice cooker to heat towels didn't bother me, where it was located did.  You were trying to make the point that perhaps the health department was harsh on them.  My point is that to the untrained eye without the benefit of establishment wide access, it was obvious there were issues.  Whether or not there are dirty places in Tokyo that serve good sushi has nothing to do with your initial point, that Ushiwaka wasn't perhaps really that much of a health problem.

I first ate at Ushiwaka on the night it opened.  I knew about it because of his prior place in NJ. I presume you'll now say you ate there before it opened?

←

No! Let's just drop our pants and get the measuring tape already...

Ushiwaka Maru was slapped due to a vendetta - there are 100 sushiya in NYC with worse conditions than theirs. Plus it's the village, the space is smaller and funkier compared to midtown. Anyway, the place was always clean and to my eye I wouldn't say there were any issues that were "health" issues.

[Jesikka]

The use of the rice cooker to heat towels didn't bother me, where it was located did.  You were trying to make the point that perhaps the health department was harsh on them.  My point is that to the untrained eye without the benefit of establishment wide access, it was obvious there were issues.  Whether or not there are dirty places in Tokyo that serve good sushi has nothing to do with your initial point, that Ushiwaka wasn't perhaps really that much of a health problem.

I first ate at Ushiwaka on the night it opened.  I knew about it because of his prior place in NJ. I presume you'll now say you ate there before it opened?

←

No! Let's just drop our pants and get the measuring tape already...

Ushiwaka Maru was slapped due to a vendetta - there are 100 sushiya in NYC with worse conditions than theirs. Plus it's the village, the space is smaller and funkier compared to midtown. Anyway, the place was always clean and to my eye I wouldn't say there were any issues that were "health" issues.

←

Are they open again yet???

[kathryn]

Eater.com reports tonight is the re-opening. Raji, can you confirm?

Edited December 26, 2007 by kathryn (log)

[raji]

Eater.com reports tonight is the re-opening. Raji, can you confirm?

←

Yes, 6PM, last order 1130, closed at 12. I personally can't wait to get back, see the new room and certainly help dispel the foulness of the DoH.... especially as I was just at Yasuda Monday night... I can be a bit of a better judge when not coming off a layoff...

[Jesikka]

Eater.com reports tonight is the re-opening. Raji, can you confirm?

←

Yes, 6PM, last order 1130, closed at 12. I personally can't wait to get back, see the new room and certainly help dispel the foulness of the DoH.... especially as I was just at Yasuda Monday night... I can be a bit of a better judge when not coming off a layoff...

←

Was it crazy crowded? I want to walk in tonight with a friend, but I'm worried about needing a reservation for the first few weeks. Is the phone number the same?

[kathryn]

I walked in last night and lucked out, sitting in front of Hideo-san around 7pm (promised I'd be gone by 9pm for a reservation there). Most of the tables were reserved. The hostess said they were pretty much booked the rest of the week. It was a full house from when I sat down to when I left around 8:30pm. Lots of old regulars, happy to see him back in business.

[Fat Guy]

I was in this evening, sitting in front of the young guy who served me last time. I think he's a terrific sushi chef. Kudos to Hideo-san for having a number two and number three who maintain such high standards.

Tonight I tried the formal omakase that combines items from the sushi bar and kitchen. The progression was:

From the sushi bar:

- Fluke sashimi with various condiments (an array of things you dip and spread)

- An assortment of sashimi (five types including Spanish mackerel and sweet shrimp)

- Monkfish liver

From the kitchen:

- Scallop served on a sizzling-hot scallop shell

- Miso cod

- Assorted tempura

- Egg custard with shrimp and scallops

From the sushi bar:

- An assortment of nigiri sushi (five pieces)

- Another assortment of sushi (gunkan maki of uni and salmon roe, and nigiri sushi of a couple of types of eel)

From the kitchen:

- Miso soup with shrimp head

- A choice of dessert (I had the black sesame ice cream)

It's quite a lot of food for $100, and it's as good overall (better in places) as any other sushi place I've visited. Probably the biggest surprise was the excellence of the tempura. It's comparable to the best I've had around town.

My only reservation about the omakase done in this style is that your sushi pieces don't come one by one -- you get them in two flights on platters. It doesn't introduce a huge delay, but still I have a strong preference of piece-by-piece service for omakase at the sushi bar.

The renovation is impressive -- I can't believe they did such a comprehensive overhaul in such a short period of time. The place is barely recognizable. Gone is the green paint, replaced by rich blond wood. The sushi bar is entirely new, including all the refrigeration. It's conceptually the same as the old refrigeration (top loading) but at a much higher standard of construction.

The place was stuffed to the gills the whole time I was there (8:15 until a little after 10).